Speaker Prospero Nograles is urging government to give incentives to the country's small oil players like reduced importation cost to make them more competitive against the "big boys," which he has accused of "abusive pricing."

IF Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña blocks a proposed rail system, Deputy Speaker Pablo Garcia suggested dropping the Light Rail Transit (LRT) component and pursuing instead a Mono Rail Transit (MRT) from Mandaue City to Sogod in the north and Talisay City to Dalaguete in the south.

Cebu City Councilor Hilario ;Junjun' Davide III bid farewell to the city's legislative body yesterday to embark into a bigger challenge of leading the campaign of the Liberal Party in the Province of Cebu.

Cebu City Mayor On-Leave Tomas Osmeña is in the mood for reconciliation.

He said that he is willing to reconcile with estranged cousin and former Senator John Henry 'Sonny' Osmeña, South District Rep. Antonio Cuenco and lawyer Aristotle 'Totol' Batuhan, a former stalwart of the opposition Kugi Uswag Sugbo (Kusug).

He however said that such reconciliation can only happen if the three would not block the reality of his pet project – the South Road Properties (SRP).

Two new prosecutors were assigned to handle the libel suit filed by ex-monk Venancio Cabillon against Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal. It was decided that prosecutors Jerome Abarca and Ma. Luisa Ong take over.

Police Regional Office-7 director Lani-O Nerez finally "gave a piece of his mind" by confirming his support for Cebu Provincial Police Office director Jesus Gaquing should Consolacion Mayor Avelino Gungob insist to have his police bodyguards back. Gungob made the threat when his two police escorts, PO3s Sherwin Leyson and Joehrahmie Espinosa were reassigned after several residents in Consolacion filed a complaint regarding them before the Office of the Ombudsman Visayas.

The defense counsel of the celebrated parricide case against Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association supreme master Ruben Ecleo Jr. has denied the alleged attempts to bribe the complainants to withdraw the case.

Typhoon "Ramil" (international name: Lupit) was expected to make landfall late Thursday night or early Friday morning even as it slightly slowed down over the Pacific, the weather bureau said Wednesday.

Although typhoon "Ramil" (international name "Lupit") has kept weather forecasters guessing if it would hit or spare the country on Wednesday, Unicef has already pre-positioned $200,000 worth of supplies to northern Luzon in preparation for a possible landfall of the tropical cyclone.

The "probability" of a strong earthquake happening in the country is "close to zero," an official of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Philvocs) told a Senate hearing on Wednesday.

THE HOUSE of Representatives has approved on second reading a measure that seeks to create an ad hoc Cabinet-level council that would be convened during public health emergency situations, similar to the National Disaster Coordinating Council but with police powers.

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is now "zeroing-in on the location and identities" of the people currently holding 79-year-old Irish priest Michael Sinnott of the Missionary Society of St. Columban who was seized from a convent in Pagadian City on October 11.

(UPDATE 2) A man claiming responsibility for the abduction of seven employees of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Butuan City contacted the agency there and assured of the safety of the victims, a police official said Wednesday.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will extend the hours for voters' registration nationwide starting this Thursday until the end of the month to accommodate the surge of "last-minute" registrants, a spokesman said.

MANILA - A poll lawyer has questioned a recent resolution issued by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on the filing of certificate of candidacy (COC) and certificate of nomination (CON), saying it was filled with at least 12 errors and inconsistencies.

(Updated 7:33 p.m.) As throngs of supporters cheered in Manila's Tondo district Wednesday, former President Joseph Estrada officially declared that he will run for the presidency in the 2010 elections, despite objections to his political comeback. Supporters say his candidacy is legal, but rivals are expected to challenge this before the Supreme Court and invoke a constitutional ban on a second term for any president.

Supreme Court spokesman Jose Midas Marquez clarified Wednesday that Chief Justice Reynato Puno was not endorsing the candidacy of former president Joseph Estrada or any politicians joining the 2010 race.

MANILA - Malacañang on Wednesday fended off rumors of the possible defection by known administration ally Mike Defensor, saying that the former presidential management staff chief has yet to reveal his political plans.

(UPDATE) Public Works Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane has submitted his resignation letter to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo even as Palace officials urged him to resign if he were serious about running for president in the 2010 elections.

In an apparent swipe at the presidential bid of Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III, Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay said the Filipinos should never vote for presidential wannabes "unprepared" to rule the country.

Rain marred the commemoration of the 65th Leyte Gulf Landings held here on Tuesday but this did not dampen the spirit of the celebrators who included President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and 10 of the oldest living World War II veterans in Eastern Visayas.

The Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. group has ventured into the television broadcasting business with the acquisition of a 75-percent stake in ABC Development Corp., the owner and operator of ABC Channel 5.

MANILA - President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will leave on Friday to attend the 15th Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and Related Summits at the seaside resorts of Cha-am and Hua Hin in Thailand on Oct. 23 to 25.

WASHINGTON - US Senator John Kerry Wednesday said it was "common sense" for President Barack Obama to wait until after Afghanistan's run-off election before making fateful decisions on deploying more US troops.

NEW DELHI – (UPDATE) A express train ploughed into the back of another in northern India early Wednesday, killing up to 15 people and leaving up to 50 trapped in the wreckage, television channels reported.

Trainer Joe Santiago said his ward Miguel Cotto is further motivated and fired up to beat Manny Pacquiao by analysis and predictions that the Filipino superstar's blinding speed and power are too much for him to handle.

MANILA - Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner Renauld "Sonny" Barrios on Wednesday said the league will not impose a lifetime ban on veteran Burger King guard Wynne Arboleda after suspending him for mauling a fan.

MANILA - Talk 'N Text came out with a perfect game plan in dismantling Smart Gilas national team, 103-70 and notch its second straight win in the KFC-Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup Wednesday at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.

SIARGAO ISLAND, Surigao del Norte - The local government of Surigao del Norte and the Department of Tourism opened the weeklong activities of 15th Siargao International Surfing Cup in General Luna, Siargao Island on Wednesday.

MANILA - Karylle, Lani Misalucha, Sarah Geronimo, Ciara Sotto, Geneva Cruz, Kyla, and Martin Nievera. These great Filipino singers made history when they were chosen by pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao to sing the country's national anthem in his fights that drew millions of viewers around the world. For his upcoming match with Miguel Cotto, Pacquiao picked not only one but three artists to sing "Lupang Hinirang" in Las Vegas.